Batman Prequel Series "Pennyworth" In The Works By "Gotham" Producers

Television will continue to explore Batman's past.

Batman is one of the most famous comic book characters in the world. Although Superman is cool too, Batman has been the real winner for DC Comics. The Caped Crusader's noir-like stories based around detective work and mentally unstable villains have captivated millions since 1939. Now that FOX's Bat-drama Gotham is heading into its fifth season, the show's executive producers Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon are looking towards the future.

According to Variety, Heller and Cannon are teaming up with Warner Horizon Scripted Television to bring a new Batman prequel to television. Entitled Pennyworth, the series will explore the life of Bruce Wayne's trusted butler. Mr. Pennyworth's time as a former special-forces officer living in London will be fleshed out. He will be under the employment of Bruce Wayne’s father, Thomas Wayne, who hasn't got a full story centered around him on screen in all of Batman's years. Depending on which stories you've read, Alfred Pennyworth can be quite the soldier.

Cable channel Epix has ordered the first season of the series. The Alfred from Gotham has no connection to the one that will be portrayed in Pennyworth. In celebration of the announcement, Epix president Michael Wright stated, "As genuine fans of these classic DC characters, as well as the incredibly talented Bruno Heller and Danny Cannon, we couldn’t be more excited to make Epix the home of this series. We can’t wait to work with Bruno and Danny – along with Peter Roth, Susan Rovner, Brett Paul and the team at Warner Horizon – on this fantastic origin story.”